1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tree watering device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device for continuously providing water to the butt of a freshly cut tree, such as a Christmas tree.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The desirability of providing water to the butt end of a freshly cut Christmas tree to keep it from drying out is well known. Many tree stands provide a water receptacle or container in which the butt of the tree rests when the tree is placed in the stand. However, freshly cut Christmas trees can consume from about one to two quarts of water per day, and thus, the water must be replenished on a regular basis. One of the problems with using these tree stands is that it is often difficult to observe the water level in the tree stand receptacle and it is even more difficult to refill the receptacle as the tree consumes the water.
Efforts have been made to overcome this problem such as the assembly set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,224 to Weckesser. The Weckesser patent is directed to a Christmas tree irrigation system that supplies water from a separate reservoir through a flexible water feeding tube to a water container that forms a part of a tree stand. A water feeding tube is attached to an outlet located at the top of the reservoir and extending to the bottom. This arrangement requires the user to siphon water from the reservoir to the container in the stand. In each embodiment of the Weckesser device the delivery tube is at some point above the upper level of the water in both the stand container and the reservoir.
Another example of a tree watering system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,176 to Spinosa, which discloses a tree watering system that includes a reservoir from which a water hose and an air hose extend. The hoses have terminal ends which are positioned in a water container that forms a portion of the tree stand. The terminal ends are cut on the bias and positioned so that when the air hose becomes exposed to the atmosphere water is caused to flow from the reservoir to the container through the water hose. The difficulty with this system is that should the reservoir or the tree get bumped and the air hose becomes accidentally exposed, an excessive release of water may occur spilling onto the floor.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,868 to Munoz there is disclosed yet another example of a Christmas tree watering device. Munoz also discloses a watering system that requires a water reservoir and a tube for carrying water to the receptacle of a tree stand. The reservoir must be raised high enough to provide a siphon for the water to flow to the receptacle. In addition, Munoz requires that the water hose be attached to the tree stand presumably so that it will not accidently fall out of the receptacle causing water to pour onto the floor.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved yet simple tree watering device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a tree watering device which has a water reservoir remote from the tree stand.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a tree watering device that does not require the water to be siphoned for the device to operate.
It has been found that these objects are accomplished by the present invention in which there is provided a Christmas tree watering device which is simple and easy to use. In one embodiment the watering device includes a tree stand having a receptacle as part of the stand for retaining water around the butt end of a tree, a water reservoir located apart from the tree, and a conduit having a first end connected at the base of the water reservoir and a second end connected at the base of the tree stand watering receptacle, whereby water in the reservoir and water in the receptacle remain at the same height. In another embodiment the watering device comprises a tree stand in which a water retaining receptacle is placed below and surrounding the tree butt support. The tree watering device can be adapted to many different types of tree stands.